Sizzlers and Fizzlers – Weeks 4 & 5
By Ben Berkon

I’ve been traveling in Europe for the past month, so I haven’t gotten a chance to keep up with my “Sizzlers and Fizzlers” articles. Now that I’m back home (if you consider London “home”), I’ve decided to double up and give you guys 30 Sizzlers and 30 Fizzlers.

SIZZLERS

Mike Cameron (OF, Milwaukee Brewers): After being suspended for the first 25 games, Cameron is back, and has a starting job (as he should). For those owners (like myself) who took a chance on Cameron, knowing that he was suspended and might risk losing a job, should be quite pleased. He’s showing a few signs of rust, but he has already posted a HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, and 3 BB’s. The stolen bases should come too. Considering how lethal the Milwaukee Brewers lineup is, Cameron should get plenty of RBI opportunities. Add Cameron to NL-only teams, and if he heats up, you can add him in all leagues because of his power/speed abilities.

Miguel Montero (C, Arizona Diamondbacks): Here’s another former DL-stashee who is now healthy and ready to contribute. The Arizona Diamondbacks have one of the strongest catching tandems in baseball with Chris Snyder and Miguel Montero. Snyder is definitely the starting catcher, but the Diamondbacks give plenty of AB’s to Montero as well. In 22 trips to the dish, Montero has posted 8 hits (.381 BA), a BB (.409 OBP), 2 RBI, and 4 R. Since he’s a backup, he’s more of a NL-only option, but certainly a good #2 catcher in NL-only leagues.

Edison Volquez (SP, Cincinnati Reds): Despite Johnny Cueto getting most of the attention in the first few weeks of the season, it has really been Edison Volquez who has been consistent. In his past two starts, Volquez has struck out 19 batters in just 13 IP. Overall on the season, Volquez has posted a 1.27 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 4 W, and 42 K’s in 35.3 IP. His 18 BB’s are a bit troublesome, but he seems to keep runners stranded because of his strikeout ability. If he is still available in your league, pick him up.

Chipper Jones (3B, Atlanta Braves): I don’t want to say that Chipper Jones goes under the radar, but I think that people just tend to forget how good he can be when he’s healthy. So far this season, Chipper has posted a .420 BA, .471 OBP, 8 HR, 22 RBI, and 21 R. He’s a major force in that Braves lineup, and he’s still very capable of hitting 30+ HR.

Ryan Freel (2B/3B/OF, Cincinnati Reds): It’s nice to see a player get what he deserves. Despite being without a starting job come opening day (due to Dusty Baker’s sudden love affair with Corey Patterson), Freel has proved why he deserves the centerfield job. Freel has posted a .315 BA, .344 OBP, 7 RBI, 9 R, and 3 SB. He has done most of that damage this week (5 R, 4 RBI, and 2 SB), so he looks like he grabbing a hold of that starting job. He has always been valuable because of his SB ability and his versatility, so if he has a starting job, that value should continue into 2008. He’s a great option in NL-only leagues, but has to prove to mixed-league owners that he’s truly the starter.

Miguel Tejada (SS, Houston Astros): Not many owners expected Tejada to have a season like he’s currently having (.355 BA, .387 OBP, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R, and 2 SB), but Tejada is just merely proving that he’s not done yet, and he’s even still an elite option at shortstop. This week, Tejada is hitting .400 with a HR, 5 RBI, and 5 R. He’s not going to hit .355 this season, but he is one year removed from hitting .330. Invest.

Nate McLouth (OF, Pittsburgh Pirates): I read an article recently on sportsline.com about how McLouth’s 2008 season is a complete fluke, and how owners shouldn’t get excited. I’m just wondering if that particular author looked at McLouth’s 2007 stats - .350 OBP, 13 HR, 22 SB, 38 RBI, and 62 R in just 368 PA. If anything, it should have been somewhat expected that McLouth would do damage with a starting gig. Just this week, he smacked 4 HR and drove in 9 RBI. He may not hit 35 HR, but a 25 HR/25 SB season is very likely. He’s a great option in all leagues.

Conor Jackson (1B, Arizona Diamondbacks): For the past two season, the Diamondbacks have been patiently waiting for Conor Jackson to find his stroke. Well, he has found it. The young 1B has posted a .350 BA, .431 OBP, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 26 R, and even 2 SB. 30 HR is probably a reach, but he’s certainly going to eclipse the 15 HR plateau he’s achieved the past two seasons. He’s already smacked 2 HR this week, so expect Jackson to be a nice source for power from here on out.

Jeff Baker (2B, Colorado Rockies): Baker has been a nice option off the bench for the Rockies the past two seasons, but since Troy Tulowitski is injured, Clint Barmes is shifting over to SS, leaving 2B vacant. Baker is certainly not a natural 2B, but the Rockies like his pop (and certainly like him more than Omar Quintanilla or Jon Herrera). He has been dealing with a hand injury, which could land him on the DL, but if he stays healthy, he’s a nice sleeper source of power at 2B in deep NL-only leagues.

Matt Kemp (OF, Los Angeles Dodgers): Kemp started off a bit slow the first week or so, but he has found his stroke, and is tearing the cover off the ball. In his past 7 games, Kemp has posted a .402 BA, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 8 R, and 6 SB. He only has 2 HR on the season, but the power will come, quickly. He is a mega-fantasy-stud, so invest now before he really bursts out.

Geovany Soto (C, Chicago Cubs): I was a bit skeptical of Soto’s 2007 season (he hit 29 HR total) since he had never hit more than 10 HR prior to 2007, but he has proved me and all other skeptics wrong so far in 2008. Soto has posted a .333 BA, .427 OBP, 5 HR, 23 RBI, and 14 R. Considering how scarce good catching is, Soto has officially pushed himself into the top-shelf of offensive catchers. He is an outstanding catching option in all leagues.

Brad Lidge (RP, Philadelphia Phillies): Despite starting the season on the DL, Lidge has bounced back, and has shown no signs of injury of any of his previous mental-mound problems. He has yet to surrender a run, has a microscopic 0.93 WHIP, 13 K’s, and 7 Saves. The 6 BB in 14 IP is a bit worrisome, but in his past 7 IP, he only has 1 BB along with 8 K’s, and 5 Saves. Since the Phillies are capable of being a great team, Lidge will see plenty of save opportunities. Invest.

Ryan Doumit (C, Pittsburgh Pirates): Doumit has been a fantasy favorite among deep NL-only leagues for the past 3 seasons, but now that he finally has a starting job, he’s quickly becoming a favorite among mixed-league owners. Doumit has posted a .361 BA, .393 OBP, 5 HR, 12 RBI, and 19 R as the Pirates starting catcher. In his past 7 games, Doumit has posted a .458 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, and 8 R. As said about Soto, catching is scarce, so Doumit is a great option because of his power.

Fred Lewis (OF, San Francisco Giants): The injury to Dave Roberts and the trade of Rajai Davis to the A’s handed the starting job to Fred Lewis on a platter. He hasn’t disappointed. So far, Lewis has posted a .323 BA, .405 OBP, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 19 R, and 5 SB. Even though Lewis is mostly known for his speed, he did post 12 HR back in 2006 for Triple-A Fresno. On top of that, he’s already smacked 2 HR this week. There will be some struggles along the way, but Lewis is a nice sleeper option for power/speed. Invest in NL-only leagues, and jump on the bandwagon in all leagues if his success continues.

Jon Lieber (SP, Chicago Cubs): I’ve always been a fan of Lieber because of his good control, so it is only fitting that he’s on my sizzler list. Since Rich Hill has lost his control (he never really had good control to begin with, but he has lost what inch of control he once had), Lou Pinella has turned to trusted righty veteran Jon Lieber to assume the rotation spot. Lieber has pitched out of the bullpen so far in 2008, but has found success – 1.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2 W, 9 K’s, and just 2 BB in 19.3 IP. Lieber has been shakey the past two seasons, but as long as he has his control, he can be a nice option in NL-only leagues.

Mark Hendrickson (SP, Florida Marlins): A lot of people are surprised that Hendrickson has 5 Wins, a 3.71 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP so far in 2008. While I’m surprised he’s posted those stats, he did the same thing last season for the Dodgers. Heck, he was even better in April of 2007 than he was in April of this season (he posted a 1.66 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 1 W, and 17 K’s). In his past 6 starts, Hendrickson has allowed no more than 3 ER, so he is indeed pitching well. But, it just can’t last. He’s devastating against lefties (1.50 ERA), but righties tear him apart (4.50 ERA). This is also supported by his career lines. But he is still a sizzler because he has been a safe option his past 6 outings. If I owned him, I would sell high, but if you need pitching, ride him out until he crashes.

Ryan Church (OF, New York Mets): So far, the Milledge for Church and Schneider deal has worked out for the Mets, but it still doesn’t make it a good deal. I won’t go into that again, but just know I still don’t support the deal. My opinion aside, Ryan Church has been a helpful commodity for the Mets and for fantasy owners. He has posted a .330 BA, .389 OBP, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 23 R, and 1 SB so far in 2008. In his past 7 games, Church has smacked 2 HR and has driven in 9 RBI. The power is real, the BA isn’t, and the OBP is also a bit high, but don’t let that deter you from picking him up.

Joel Pineiro (SP, St. Louis Cardinals): Is Joel Pineiro more than a one-hit wonder? Probably not, but he’s making a strong case for himself in 2008. So far, he has posted a 3.75 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 2 W in 24 IP. His strikeout total is a bit low at 9, considering he once K’d a good amount of batter when he was the next big pitching stud on the Mariners, but he’s obviously finding other ways to keep runners off the base paths. Despite struggling out of the game, in his past 3 starts, Pineiro has only surrendered 4 ER in 20.1 innings of work. He would have to continue pitching this way to get looks in mixed leagues, but Pineiro is a nice NL-only option.

Moises Alou (OF, New York Mets): Holy Moises! Moises Alou is back off the DL after missing the first part of the 2008 season. In his first 4 PA, Alou recorded a hit, a walk, and a RBI. The Mets really need Alou’s bat in their lineup, and considering he hit 5^th for them should get some attention for fantasy owners. That’s right, he’s hitting behind Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltran. Invest in NL-only leagues, and possibly mixed leagues if he stays healthy (unlikely) or if he can produce like he did for the Mets last season (much more likely).

Max Scherzer (SP, Arizona Diamondbacks): So this guy can throw pretty hard, eh? In his debut for the Diamondbacks, Scherzer put up all zeros except for those 7 K’s (in just 4.3 innings of work). Following his success, manager Bob Melvin immediately inserted Scherzer into the Diamondbacks rotation. Considering his dominance in all levels of the minors, his great debut wasn’t too much of a surprise. He is a two-start option this week, which makes him even more valuable.

Erick Aybar (SS/2B, Los Angeles Angels): With Maicer Izturis being placed on the DL and Howie Kendrick coming off the DL, Erick Aybar finds himself as the starting Angels shortstop. Considering he’s beening hitting .313 with 1 HR, 13 RBI, 17 R, and 5 SB, this is of no surprise. Prior to Kendrick’s injury, both Izturis and Aybar were fighting for AB’s at SS, Izturis receiving the most. However, Itzuris was just hitting .197 (yes, an impressive .275 OBP despite the low BA, but still), so it was inevitable that Aybar would get a look. Now that Aybar is doing well and Izturis is on the DL (and was doing poorly before the injury), it looks as though the SS gig is Aybar’s to lose. Aybar has 7 RBI in his past 7 games and has a ton of SB upside (stole as many as 51 bases in the minors).

Morgan Ensberg (3B/1B, New York Yankees): By no stretch of the imagination does Ensberg deserve to be starting (.218 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, and 5 R in 55 AB’s), but due to the surprising injury to Alex Rodriguez, Ensberg finds himself as the starting 3B of the New York Yankees. Even though the Yankees lineup is injury plagued (Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada), they are still a stacked team, so this means RBI opportunities for the former Astros slugger. If Ensberg can remember how to hit, he can be a nice stop-gap for Rodriguez owners in AL-only leagues and just a nice waiver claim in AL-only leagues in general.

Ervin Santana (SP, Los Angeles Angels): The Angels took a huge hit in the beginning of their season when they learned that Kelvim Escobar would miss the season, but considering the success of Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders, they don’t really need Escobar. Santana has been nothing short of fantastic so far in 2008. In 6 starts, Santana has posted 5 Wins, a 2.48 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 29 K’s, and just 9 BB’s. Considering he posted a 5.76 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 2007, this is quite a turn of events for the Angels and owners who took a flier on Santana. Santana has yet to surrender more than 3 ER, and has beaten some good teams as well. Consider Santana a great option in all leagues.

Joe Saunders (SP, Los Angeles Angels): The other Angels surprise has been Joe Saunders. He, like Santana, is unbeaten at 5-0. In 6 starts this season, Saunders has posted 5 Wins, a 2.08 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 20 K’s, and 10 BB. Saunders was never nearly as high-touted as Santana, which makes his stats seem a bit flukey, but he’s been lights out nonetheless. I personally think Saunders is a great sell high candidate, but if you like him, keep him.

Masahide Kobayashi/Rafael Perez (RP, Cleveland Indians): With the current DL stint of Joe Borowski and the struggles of Rafael Betancourt, it’s only a matter of time before skipper Eric Wedge hands the ball over to either Kobayashi or Perez in the 9^th. Kobayashi would be the favorite between the two since he’s had closing experience in Japan. He has also posted a 1.84 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 14.6 IP. Perez has struggled a bit this season, posting a 4.97 ERA and 1.74 WHIP, but maybe a change of role could prove to be a positive change. Neither is too valuable without the closer status, so keep an eye out for Indians bullpen updates.

Scott Olsen (SP, Florida Marlins): One of the hottest names going into the 2007 season was Marlins youngster Scott Olsen. After his first full season in the majors in 2006, Olsen posted a 4.05 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 166 K’s, and 12 Wins in 180.6 IP. He looked as though he was the next big Marlins pitcher (maybe even the next Josh Beckett). However, his 2007 season was nowhere near his 2006 – 5.82 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, and just 133 K’s in 176.6 IP. He also walked 10 more batters in 2007 than he did in 2006. Along with his bad stats, he gained some press for his poor clubhouse attitude. Overall, it was a terrible sophomore season. Despite all of this, Olsen has been better than his 2006 form so far in 2008. In 6 starts, Olsen has posted 3 Wins, a 2.70 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 15 K’s, and 15 BB’s in 40 IP. His K:BB ratio is a bit worrisome, but his ERA and WHIP are hard to ignore. There is no doubt Olsen is still dealing with control issues, but he has electric stuff, and has 10 less hits than IP so far. Take a flier in NL-only leagues, and wait until he string together a few low-walk outings before picking him up in mixed leagues. He could be a diamond in the rough.

Matt Albers (SP, Baltimore Orioles): Despite the success of Miguel Tejada in Houston, some of the players the Orioles received as performing too. One of them is Matt Albers. Albers has mostly been pitching out of the bullpen for the Orioles, but has recently earned a spot in the rotation. Overall on the season, Albers has posted a 2.42 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 2 Wins, 12 K’s, and just 4 BB’s in 22.3 IP. In two starts for the Orioles, Albers has posted a 3.27 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3 K’s, and 2 BB’s. Albers enjoyed some success in the minors for the Astros, so it’s possible Albers has found a comfort zone in Baltimore. Take a flier in deep AL-only leagues.

Mike Mussina (SP, New York Yankees): Not all is lost for the former ace pitcher. Despite posting the worst full-season of his career in 2007, Moose has forgotten about 2007 and focused on 2008. So far, Moose has posted 4 Wins, 4.23 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 17 K’s in 38.3 IP. As stated in one of my previous articles, Moose is no longer an ace, but he can still contribute – and that’s what he’s doing. In his past 3 starts, Mussina has posted 3 Wins and has just surrendered 5 ER in 18 IP. He’s a great option in AL-only leagues, and if he can maintain his current ERA and WHIP, he’s worth a look in mixed leagues as well.

Shaun Marcum (SP, Toronto Blue Jays): Marcum is merely picking up where he left off last season. In 40 IP (6 starts), Marcum has posted 3 Wins, a 2.70 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 35 K’s. In his most recent start against the Chicago White Sox, Marcum pitched 6.6 innings of scoreless baseball, while holding the White Sox to just 2 hits, while striking out 9. He’s the real deal, so invest.

Santiago Casilla (RP, Oakland Athletics): Huston Street is obviously in no danger of losing his closing role (heck, he could even been on the “Sizzler” list), but Casilla deserves some recognition. In 15.3 IP in 2008, Casilla has yet to give up a run. Along with his blank ERA, he has also posted 20 K’s, just 2 BB’s, and a microscopic 0.72 WHIP. At some point the A’s are going to come back to earth and start losing games, which should result in a Huston Street trade. Casilla has closer-worth “stuff,” so he would certainly fill the shoes as the A’s closer. In the meantime, Casilla is a fantastic deep AL-only option.

FIZZLERS

Gabe Kapler (OF, Milwaukee Brewers): Despite starting the season with a bang (4 HR, etc…), he injured his shoulder, and now Mike Cameron is back from his suspension. Since Cameron is back, Kapler is nothing more than a 4^th outfielder on the Brewers. He should still steal an AB here and there (if he continues to be productive), but he is nowhere near as valuable as he was a week ago. You can drop him in mixed leagues and bench him in NL-only leagues.

John Smoltz (SP, Atlanta Braves): His DL stint worried many owners since being 40 years-old and being injured should be worrisome. Smoltz was coming off a great 2007 season where he posted 14 Wins, a 3.11 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 197 K’s. He even looked fantastically sharp in 2008, posting 3 Wins, a 2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 36 K’s. But there is some good and bad news. The good news is that Smoltz will be returning (at some point), the bad news is that he’ll be returning as the closer. Now, I say this is bad news because I’m assuming most people picked Smoltz as their ace. Smoltz will certainly become a top option for closer, but he is certainly more valuable in the fantasy world as a starter.

Rafael Soriano/Manny Acosta (RP, Atlanta Braves): Since Smoltz is returning to the Braves as a closer, it puts both Rafael Soriano and Manny Acosta out of line for saves. This is certainly worse news for Soriano owners than Acosta owners since Soriano was supposed to be a nice option for save in 2008. After coming off of a 2007 season where he posted a 3.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 70 K’s, and 9 Saves in 72 IP, most fantasy owners were licking their chops for 2008. However, Soriano’s injury-plagued ways continued, and he found himself on the DL. Insert Manny Acosta. Acosta came out of nowhere in 2007, and posted a 2.33 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 22 K’s as a middle reliever for the Braves. Since Soriano and Moylan (out for the season) were DL’d, Acosta found himself as the closer for the Braves this season. He recorded 2 saves, but he also walked an astounding 11 batters in 13.6 IP. He certainly wasn’t a great option for the Braves, but saves are saves for fantasy owners. Soriano will have value as a setup man because of his ERA, WHIP, and K’s, but he’ll have nowhere near the value he has at the beginning of the season. You can cut Acosta as soon as Smoltz comes off the DL.

Carlos Delgado (1B, New York Mets): Don’t let the 3 HR in the past 5 games confuse you, Carlos Delgado is way over-the-hill. As happy as I was to see him hit those HR’s (as a Mets fan), I am quickly reminded when he goes 0-4 or 0-5, or is easily fooled against lefties or anyone who can pitch above 90 MPH/has a good off-speed pitch. For your own sake, sell high right now, because the good times are over.

Jorge Posada (C, New York Yankees): The Yankees got some good news recently, Jorge Posada will not be out the season – he’ll just be out for 5+ weeks. That might be good news for the Yankees, but that’s some terrible news for fantasy owners. Coming into 2008, Posada was easily one of the best picks for catcher, so losing him for 1.5-2 months should be a huge blow to your squad. The bright side is that the season is not lost, but you’ll have to sift threw the waiver wire or make a trade for a stop-gap.

Trevor Hoffman (RP, San Diego Padres): It might be shocking to most people that Trevor Hoffman has posted a 6.52 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 2 BS, but it isn’t to me at all. Am I crazy? Perhaps. But I also look at stats. In the second half of 2007, Hoffman posted a 4.44 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and blew 5 saves. Sort of sounds like 2008, right? Right. Hoffman has had a fantastic career, but it’s is dwindling quickly. It might be hard to trade him, but it will be even harder to trade him when Heath Bell is closing.

Jason Isringhausen (RP, St. Louis Cardinals): Like Hoffman, Isringhausen has been downright terrible in 2008. But unlike Hoffman, Isringhausen is sure to bounce back, but when? Hopefully soon (I have him in my money league). Izzy was fantastic in his first 6 outings, recording 5 saves while surrendering just 3 hits and no runs. His run-less streak ended, and he has now had 4 games where he has allowed 2 or more runs. It’s a bit too soon to cross him off the list and pick up the likes of Ryan Franklin, Ron Villone, or rookie Kyle McClellan, but if he continues to have blow-up games like this, one must assume there will be a change.

Micah Owings (SP, Arizona Diamondbacks): Despite being dominant in his first 4 outings, the wheels had come off on what looked like a breakout season. In his past two games, Owings has allowed 15 hits, 11 ER, and 6 BB’s in just 10.6 IP (9.28 ERA and 1.96 WHIP). Owings is still a good pitcher, but be cautious for the time being, and even bench him against good offensive teams.

Rich Hill (SP, Chicago Cubs): Despite coming into 2008 as the Cubs ace (Carlos Zambrano might have something to say about that, but who cares), Hill completely lost his ability to control the ball. In just 19.6 IP, Hill walked an astounding 18 batters. Since Lou Piniella has zero tolerance, Hill was first banished to the bullpen and then, more recently, to the minors. Lieber has taken his place in the rotation, and it doesn’t look like Hill will get the call until he figures out his control issues. This is terrible news for fantasy owners since he was a top pitching choice on draft day. Bench him in NL-only leagues and cut him in mixed leagues.

Troy Tulowitzki (SS, Colorado Rockies): The talented shortstop was coming off of a great rookie season for the Rockies. Despite this, Tulowitski had trouble finding his stroke in 2008 (just 1 HR in 105 AB’s and a .152 BA), and is now sidelined until the All-Star Break with a torn tendon in his left quadriceps. Considering he smacked 24 HR last season, he was certainly a big pick to either repeat or progress, but now owners are going to have to wait a few months for Tulo’s offensive output. Bench in all leagues.

Kerry Wood (RP, Chicago Cubs): Wood has been one of the more shakey closers in baseball, yet he still, somehow, has a grasp on the closing duties in Chicago. Surely a first-year closer blowing 3 saves in 7 chances should call for an ousting – especially since the Cubs have the dominant Carlos Marmol – but Piniello has strangely stood by Wood. If Wood continues to blow saves, Marmol will certainly take over. I expect that day to come soon.

Yovani Gallardo (SP, Milwaukee Brewers): In the beginning of the season, Gallardo missed the first three weeks of the season due to knee surgery, but he came back and pitched extremely well (1.80 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 13 K’s in 20 IP). However, the young ace is now out for the season with a new injury – a torn ACL in his right knee. He tore his ACL after colliding with Reed Johnson near first base. This is a huge blow to both the Brewers and fantasy owners. Gallardo was a candidate to strikeout 200 batters, but now fans and fantasy owners will have to wait until 2009 to see the young talent pitch.

Ryan Howard (1B, Philadelphia Phillies): After setting the single-season strikeout record with 199 K’s, it looks like Howard will shatter his record (he already has 45). Along with that, Howard is hitting just .169. He does have 6 HR, but that BA is a killer. Even though he is a top hitter, you might consider benching him if his BA is hurting your team. He is really struggling right now, so he might be a good buy low candidate, but he is borderline benchable until he gets a hit streak going.

Alex Rodriguez (3B, New York Yankees): The most important hitter in the Yankees lineup is on the DL. It’s the first time since 2000 that Rodriguez has hit the disabled list, so it was certainly surprising to see him put on it. He’ll be out for at least two weeks, which might not seem like a lot, but it could certainly be more since quad strains are tricky injuries. Assuming that Rodriguez is your best player, this injury will certainly hurt your lineup. Bench Rodriguez is all leagues and pick-up a stop-gap.

Maicer Izturis (SS, Los Angeles Angels): As explained in the Erick Aybar profile in “Sizzlers,” Izturis had been batting .197 while being handed a starting job due to the Howie Kendrick injury. Izturis now finds himself on the DL with a strained lower back. Since Aybar is doing a great job at SS (.313 BA, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 17 R, and 5 SB), there’s little reason to think that Izturis will regain a starting job, especially since Aybar is doing so well. Izturis is still a good option in deep AL-only leagues, but since he’ll most likely receive minimal AB’s, he’s of no use in mixed leagues.

Philip Hughes (SP, New York Yankees): Despite being a huge pitching prospect, Hughes has looked like everything but that label in 2008. In 22 IP, Hughes has posted 0 Wins (4 Losses), a 9.00 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 13 K’s, and 13 BB’s. He is now on the DL because of a rib injury, but he will also be sporting some glasses when he comes back because he was having trouble reading the catcher’s signs. Maybe a bill of clean health and some new spectacles will help him improve his stats.

Barry Zito (SP, San Francisco Giants): Well, I saw this coming. I was enthralled as a Mets fan that the Mets didn’t give in and sign Zito to his ridiculous contract. Now the Giants are paying $18.5 million per season (through 2013) for a mediocre reliever. That’s right, the $126 million man is now in the San Francisco Giants bullpen. The stay in the bullpen won’t be for long, I assume, but Zito has been one of the worst players in baseball so far in 2008 (0-6, 7.53 ERA, 1.95 WHIP, 11 K’s, and 15 BB’s in 28.6 IP), and was especially terrible against the Reds in his last outing (3 IP, 7 H, 8 ER, 3 BB, and 1 K). You can cut him in all leagues, or possibly bench him in deep NL-only leagues.

Francisco Liriano (SP, Minnesota Twins): The Twins were sort of banking on Liriano to lead the rotation after they traded ace pitcher Johan Santana to the Mets and youngster Matt Garza to the Rays. They were careful with the budding ace in the beginning of the season, sending him to the minors to get some innings in before his 2008 major league debut. However, he has been terrible so far in the majors – 0-3, 11.32 ERA, 2.71 WHIP, 7 K’s, and 13 BB’s in 10.3 IP. Apparently the Twins had seen enough, so he was once against banished to the minors. His control is certainly worrisome, and he hasn’t even pitched effectively in his current stint in the minors. He’s too valuable to cut, so bench him.

Bronson Arroyo (SP, Cincinnati Reds): Bronson Arroyo started slow in the first half of 2007 (3-9, 4.84 ERA, 1.47 WHIP), but he has been downright terrible so far in 2008 (1-4, 8.63 ERA, 1.95 WHIP). If you look at his individual outings, there were be a string of solid to good outings (against the Diamondbacks on 04/02, the Pirates on 04/12, and the Cardinals on 04/28), but he hit rock bottom against the Braves recently when he only lasted 1.1 IP while surrendering 7 Hits and 7 ER. You can cut him in mixed leagues, and bench him in NL-only leagues until he can string together a few good outings.

Rafael Betancourt (RP, Cleveland Indians): Coming into 2008, Betancourt was easily the best Indians reliever – this includes their closer. For the past 4+ seasons, it has been a mystery why the Indians haven’t handed Betancourt the closing gig. But when Joe Borowski went on the DL, the Indians finally handed the ball to Betancourt in the 9^th. He nailed down his first two saves against the Royals and Yankees. Then the bottom fell out. He gave up 3 ER against the Mariners on 04/29, an ER against the Mariners again on 05/01, and an ER against the Royals on 05/04. Overall on the season, Betancourt is sporting an ugly 6.39 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. He does have 13 K’s and just 2 BB’s, but he’s allowing too many hits and an alarming amount of runs. He’ll continue to get the ball in the 9^th until Borowski comes back, but the Indians have already stated publicly that Borowski will return as the closer. Betancourt is a great reliever, but he’s obviously very hittable right now. Continue to start him for saves, but if he struggles, bench him in AL-only league and cut him in mixed leagues.

Garret Anderson (OF, Los Angeles Angels): Anderson had a pretty mediocre first month in 2007 (.263 BA, .265 OBP, 1 HR, and 10 RBI), but he is now showing his age. In his first 122 AB’s in 2008, Anderson has just posted a .221 BA, 2 HR, 11 RBI. He has also struck out 21 times. If this was 5 seasons ago, it wouldn’t mean much, but now that Anderson is 36 years-old, it’s time to look somewhere else on the depth chart for the Angels. Fantasy owners should do the same.

Edwin Jackson (SP, Tampa Bay Rays): After his first two starts (14 IP, 7 Hits, 1 ER, 6 BB’s, and 10 K’s), it looked as though Jackson had finally put all the pieces back together from his Dodger days. However, with the exception of his start against the Red Sox (7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER), Jackson has been terrible. In 34.3 IP, Jackson has gone 2-3, with a 4.98 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 26 K’s, and 19 BB’s. His control has always been suspect, but he’s really having a lot of trouble keeping men off base. Jackson will tease you with outings like he had early in the season, but for every good game Jackson pitches; he will have 3 terrible outings. Start at your own risk.

Ian Kennedy (SP, New York Yankees): Along with Hughes, Ian Kennedy was also supposed to shine in Pinstripes. This has not been the case so far in 2008. In 23.6 IP, Kennedy has been winless while sporting an 8.37 ERA, 2.03 WHIP, and walking 20 batters. The Yankees organization had enough, so he was sent down to Triple-A. Considering how much he struggled in the majors, Kennedy proved that he isn’t quite ready for the show yet, so I don’t expect him to be back with the Yankees until much later this season.

Orlando Cabrera (SS, Chicago White Sox): In the off-season, the White Sox decided they wanted an upgrade over Juan Uribe at SS. So they went out and traded starting pitcher Jon Garland to the Angels for trusted SS Orlando Cabrera. The trade hasn’t worked out for either team, but considering pitching is more valuable, this has been an especially weak deal for the White Sox. In 118 AB’s so far in 2008, Cabrera has just hit .220, a .297 OBP, a .271 SLG, 1 HR, and just 5 RBI. He has stolen 5 bases, but he has been a huge disappointment for the White Sox and fantasy owners. If there are better options via FA in mixed leagues, go for it. I’m assuming AL-only teams picked Cabrera as their main SS, so if you have a better option on the bench, considering benching Cabrera until he heats up.

Joe Crede (3B, Chicago White Sox): As someone who picked Josh Fields, nothing makes me happier than seeing Crede on the “Fizzlers” list. After starting off red-hot, Crede has been a fantasy dud as of late. In his past 7 games, Crede has hit 1 HR, driven in 1 RBI, and is batting just .136. While Crede has smacked 7 HR on the season, he also has just a .247 BA and a .312 OBP. If this downward trend continues, it can only be good news for Josh Fields and his patient AL-only league owners.

Brian Bannister (SP, Kansas City Royals): Can the real Brian Bannister please stand up? Despite starting off red-hot, Brian Bannister has hit a rough patch. In his past three outings, Bannister has had an 8.59 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and has dropped all three decisions (in 14.6 IP). There is no doubt that Bannister had a terrific 2007 season, but many experts point to his low hit rate and low K total as support for it being a fluke. Considering the rough patch, will Bannister finally show the kind of pitcher experts say he actually is? I think so.

Vladimir Guerrero (OF, Los Angeles Angels): Despite still being one of the better hitters in the league (and certainly one of the better hitters in the AL), Vlad has not lived up to his past title. On the season, Vlad has posted a .256 BA, .335 OBP, .401 SLG, 3 HR, 14 RBI, and 15 R. What is even worse is that in his past 6 games, Vlad has just posted a .056 BA, .190 OBP, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, and just 1 hit. What has happened to Vladimir Guerrero? He’s too good to bench in AL-only leagues, but you might have a hotter option on your bench in mixed leagues. He’s a good buy-low candidate, but he’s really struggling right now.

Jose Vidro (DH, Seattle Mariners): One of the main reasons the Mariners offense is struggling so much is because of offensive dud Jose Vidro. It is still mysterious why the Mariners traded for Vidro in the first place, but it’s even more mysterious why he’s still on the team since he’s batting just .192. Considering Frank Thomas was released by the Blue Jays, surely he would be a much better option at DH than Jose Vidro. With analysis aside, Vidro is a bad option for any fantasy team. He no longer has double-digit power, and he’s proving that he can’t hit anymore either.

Kenji Johjima (C, Seattle Mariners): Despite recently signing a three-year extension, Kenji Johjima has been far from deserving. So far in 2008, Johjima has posted a .183 BA, .244 OBP, 0 HR, 5 RBI, and 4 R. It was a bit surprising to the baseball world that he was given an extension since the Mariners have blue-chipper Jeff Clement waiting in the helms. It looks as though the Mariners will use Clement more at DH than at catcher, so Johjima’s job is safe, but Johjima should be given a rest in mixed leagues.

Gary Matthews (OF, Los Angeles Angels): Despite signing Matthews to a big contract in the 2007 off-season, the Angels still went out and signed Torii Hunter to an even bigger contract to man centerfield. As a result, Matthews found himself without a starting job. Luckily for him, Chone Figgins got injured. Matthews has actually shown some good pop in 2008 (5 HR in 123 AB’s), but he is just hitting .227. Also, in his last 7 games, Matthews has had just 3 hits in 23 AB’s (.130 BA). He’s still worth starting in AL-only leagues, but considering benching him or cutting him in mixed leagues.